Sometimes even the heroes need heroes, a fact which we’re firmly reminded of in RUNAWAYS #25. Coming out this Wednesday from Marvel Comics, this issue will have all fans asking; who the heck is Doc Justice?
***SPOILER WARNING***
Long have the Runaways been living up to their names. They have no permanent home, no family outside of each other. And frequently it feels like they’re still searching for a purpose. All of these emotions – and then some – are the focus of Runaways #25.
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All Runaways fans know that our young heroes can’t maintain a good thing. Once it actually seems to be going their way, something is bound to come up and force another dramatic change in their lives. It’s a cycle that they cannot run from. And it’s this fact that keeps them unbalanced and continually facing the risk of tragedy.
So, with that in mind, we knew that a change had to be looming on the horizon. The last few issues have been building up to it a bit, with Nico and Karolina seeking new purposes in their lives. But Runaways #25 takes that pressure to a whole new and explosive level.
Rainbow Rowell somehow managed to weave so much into this single issue – it takes a little bit to sort through it all. Several major plots are running through it, of course. But then there are some smaller – but still noteworthy – moments as well.
First in many fans minds will likely be; who the heck is Doc Justice? And what’s the catch? Because it seems pretty odd that none of us have heard of him. One would think that a legit hero would run across any of the other Marvel heroes at some point before now. The foreshadowing with this guy is so thick it’s almost impossible to see through.
Second. Um, Chase’s tattoo? What. It’s hard to decide how to feel about this one. Amused? Broken-hearted? Concerned? All of the above? And that is one of the smaller elements of this issue, just to give you an idea of what is to be found inside these pages.
Another concerning moment surrounds Nico and the foreshadowing. This is something that eagle-eyed fans have been concerned about ever since Nico made her deal. In a way, it’s good to see that this subplot hasn’t been dropped. But it’s also extremely concerning to see that something is lurking just out of sight – something that Nico is continually ignoring.
The artistic team did an excellent job of handling the multiple plots and a variety of emotions expressed in Runaways #25. While the main focus was undoubtedly on the elephants in the room, the artwork also allowed for a decent amount of subtlety, folding in secondary stories (like the one mentioned above) without a single word needing to be said.
Andres Genolet was the lead artist for this issue, and we love the amount of personality and emotions they were able to push into our beloved Runaways characters. Meanwhile, Federico Blee and Matthew Wilson were the colorists for this issue. Their work felt delightfully familiar to the rest of the series, while also having a bit of fun here and there.
VC’s Joe Caramagna was the letterer for this issue, and his final touches made the story. There were several iconic moments and panels in Runaways #25 that were made larger than life thanks to the lettering involved.
Runaways #25 was an issue designed to force change, while also building up to something more. In that sense, it was the perfect Runaways plot. And you know the story has only just begun.
